You can’t help but notice it – the diversity in the age of people in the workplace. From new young workers to baby boomers to individuals on the threshold of retirement, each of these demographics brings their own perspectives and impacts to an organization. In an intriguing (and challenging) twist on the multi-generational workforce, it’s not unusual to face a workplace (or even just a department) where you have all four generations present! Traditionalists, Baby Boomers, Generation X-ers and Millennials, they each have their own values, expectations, habits, and work styles, and if leaders fail to acknowledge and develop strategies to actively manage them, they will create conflict, inefficiency, and eventually negativity leading to a loss of future leaders in the company. As a leader, it’s critical to understand the differences between each generation, and perhaps more importantly, consciously and deliberately adapt your leadership style to communicate with, motivate, and lead this multi-generational workforce.
Note to Organizers:
Increasingly, your employees, customers and other stakeholders are going to be from the Millennial demographic. Do you understand exactly how they think and act differently from the generations before them? And are you changing the way you communicate, work with and lead them? If not, you should be! In this fast-paced, content-rich and highly entertaining keynote, you will:
- Gain a greater insight into the factors that have shaped each generational demographic, and thus their motivations and behaviors
- Identify the common characteristics of each generation and explore the enormous strengths each can bring to an organization
- Recognize individual value filters that get in the way of understanding different generations
- Hear real-life examples of what happens when you ignore generational differences
- Learn specific ways to draw out the best from every employee, no matter what their generational demographic
- Develop skills to communicate effectively with all four generations of staff (and co-workers and clients)
If you plan a lot of conferences and events then you may be thinking “been there, done that” when it comes to this topic. Think again! This topic is even more relevant today than it was five years ago. As growing numbers of Millennials enter, and Traditionalists and Boomers depart the workforce, the rift between the generations continues to widen and deepen. And leaders everywhere are more desperate than ever for solutions. As a front-line leader with first-hand experience, Merge brings not only a fresh, relevant and credible perspective to these issues, but she also offers specific and practical answers to the tough questions that leaders everywhere are asking.
This entertaining keynote is based on Merge’s newly-released (2014) highly praised book Generations Exposed: Unexpected insights into the people you work with. Cost-effective arrangements can be made to provide each attendee with a copy of this book as part of this presentation. Also, if needed, either a card can be inserted, or a sticker placed on the inside front cover/fly leaf of the book to acknowledge any sponsors.
Main themes: leadership, intergenerational dialogue, multiple generations in the workplace, millennials, generation Y, generation X, baby boomers, traditionalists